Electronic and microprocessor based games are becoming increasingly popular. In an electronic gaming machine, a player initiates game play by making a wager. The electronic gaming machine, or microprocessor associated with the electronic gaming machine, determines the result of play and displays it to the game player. A large screen display is provided to display various aspects of the game. Electronic gaming machines display different types of games on a display. The display also provides various aspects of a game to the player, and may be used to entice the player with various games. In some electronic gaming machines, the door includes a display device which makes the door heavy.
Electronic gaming machines are generally tightly packed onto a gaming room floor in a casino. Casinos prefer to have more gaming machines on a floor than less as an increased number of gaming machines generally translates into increased revenue at a casino. When electronic gaming machines are tightly packed, there can be problems with opening doors to gain access to the inner workings of a gaming machine. Basically, a door must only open so far so as to prevent damage to adjacent machines and to allow players to continue play while an adjacent gaming machine is being serviced.
As mentioned above, the door can include a display which makes the door relatively heavy. Like all electronic components, a display may fail in time. When a display fails, the door carrying a display needs to be changed out quickly so as to keep the gaming machine in a revenue generating mode and also to maintain the image of a casino for having all machines up most of the time. It is simply negative marketing to have gaming machines down for any length of time. A casino does not want to get a reputation for having gaming machines out of commission.
It should also be remembered, that the gaming industry, which includes casinos, is a growing, multi-billion dollar, world-wide industry. Large amounts of money can be involved in game play. Individual machines can pay out large amounts. Electronic machines involved in progressive game play, where a large number of players are involved from multiple casinos, can have huge payouts. When such large amounts are at stake, people want to be reassured that any electronic gaming machine will “stay up”. Therefore, when a display fails, casinos have a great interest in replacing a display as quickly as possible to maintain the perception of having all the games on the casino floor up a high percentage of time. In some gaming machines, a display is part of a door.
Replacing a door on an existing gaming machine is a time consuming process. Existing gaming machines typically mount the door to the cabinet with a piano hinge. Piano hinges are typically attached using a multitude of screws, each of which takes some time to insert or remove. This makes installation or removal of a heavy door with a built in display connected to the cabinet with a piano hinge at least a two person job. One person needs to hold the heavy door with both hands while the other inserts or removes the screws for the hinge. Depending on the door, more than one installer may have to hold the door.